Darkpoet went looking for Dragon Wench. It was a big keep. He reminded himself yet again to get the bell-smith out here to put in a call system. "Mistress Dragon Wench!" he called loudly. "Dinner is served!!"
There was no response. Going outside to the stables, DP saw two bloating bodies on the ground. He scratched his head. "I could swear I buried those," he mused aloud. Shrugging, he continued to the stables. DW's horse was gone. Attached to the stable door was this note:
Darkpoet:
I grew tired of waiting for the others to come back, went to look for them. Stay and look after the Keep, if you will. DW.
DP rolled his eyes, threw up his hands. "She was supposed to stay here and help me hold down the fort! Aaahhh!!"
Well, she would probably get into trouble out there. DP armed, got his gear together, and left the Keep, after securing Mazzy Fentan's keep-sitting services. He set out after Dragon Wench and the others.
Order of the Dark Flame (Story, No Spam)
Thantor looked at Kramor appraisingly. "Guilt, Sir Kramor. What she has of mine is guilt and shame that is misplaced and inappropriate." He looked at Loner, whose eyes were swollen and red from crying. "You were surprised that I never banished you for what happened, never punished you. But you should know that if I had sensed even a hint of evil, a trace of volition in what occurred, I would have killed you were you stood. It was an accident, Loner." He watched her, trying to assess the impact of his words. "We all know the risk of the warrior's path. Dyami was a warrior and he died a warrior's death. Would you tarnish his memory by torturing yourself, by denying yourself your gift?"
He met Kramor's eyes. "The last time I spoke with Loner, I tried my best to convince her to stay, to work through this terrible tragedy, but I failed. Perhaps my words did not have the required force because of my own grief and lack of focus." He paused. "It is difficult to heal a chronic wound. The body and mind accommodate to the scarring and twisted energy. I had to reopen Loner's wound, and I do not apologize for doing so. And I do not 'like' to wait until a person is at their weakest, Sir Kramor," he said with some heat. "I look for weaknesses in the people I train and I address them, because if I don't, people die. Somewhat the opposite of the prevailing threaten-your-party-member-with-death-whenever-my-feathers-are-ruffled approach that seems to be so popular here," he noted wryly. Thantor thought he observed a look of embarrassment, but he couldn't be sure.
Turning back to Loner, he said, "There is story about a prince who sought out a famous monk, demanding to be taught the knowledge of heaven and hell. The monk laughed and dismissed the prince, saying he didn't have time to spend on a low-life, stinking peasant. Enraged, the prince drew his sword and prepared to cut the monk down. Without looking up, the monk said, 'That is hell.' Startled, the prince slowly began to understand that not only had the monk done exactly what he asked, be that he was willing to risk his life in the process to do so. Awed, the prince sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully. 'And that is heaven,' smiled the monk." Straining to maintain his composure through the jumble of emotion churning inside him, Thantor said to Loner, "If I knew for certain that you would have cut me down for what I said to you, do understand that I still would have done it and gladly?" She nodded, a look of understanding in her eyes. "Dyami's death was my responsibility, Loner, not yours. It is time to let this go. Your guilt and pain will not bring Dyami back and it is keeping you from embracing ... well, more life-affirming things in your life." Loner looked at Kramor and he smiled at her.
[ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: thantor3 ]
He met Kramor's eyes. "The last time I spoke with Loner, I tried my best to convince her to stay, to work through this terrible tragedy, but I failed. Perhaps my words did not have the required force because of my own grief and lack of focus." He paused. "It is difficult to heal a chronic wound. The body and mind accommodate to the scarring and twisted energy. I had to reopen Loner's wound, and I do not apologize for doing so. And I do not 'like' to wait until a person is at their weakest, Sir Kramor," he said with some heat. "I look for weaknesses in the people I train and I address them, because if I don't, people die. Somewhat the opposite of the prevailing threaten-your-party-member-with-death-whenever-my-feathers-are-ruffled approach that seems to be so popular here," he noted wryly. Thantor thought he observed a look of embarrassment, but he couldn't be sure.
Turning back to Loner, he said, "There is story about a prince who sought out a famous monk, demanding to be taught the knowledge of heaven and hell. The monk laughed and dismissed the prince, saying he didn't have time to spend on a low-life, stinking peasant. Enraged, the prince drew his sword and prepared to cut the monk down. Without looking up, the monk said, 'That is hell.' Startled, the prince slowly began to understand that not only had the monk done exactly what he asked, be that he was willing to risk his life in the process to do so. Awed, the prince sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully. 'And that is heaven,' smiled the monk." Straining to maintain his composure through the jumble of emotion churning inside him, Thantor said to Loner, "If I knew for certain that you would have cut me down for what I said to you, do understand that I still would have done it and gladly?" She nodded, a look of understanding in her eyes. "Dyami's death was my responsibility, Loner, not yours. It is time to let this go. Your guilt and pain will not bring Dyami back and it is keeping you from embracing ... well, more life-affirming things in your life." Loner looked at Kramor and he smiled at her.
[ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: thantor3 ]
Those who will play with kitties must expect to be scratched.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Suddenly the years of guilt and sorrow fell crashing from Loner's shoulders, and the release cause her to start weeping again. She felt forgiven, at long last. She felt her friend's spirit finally getting through, telling her to be at peace. "Master...Than," she said, and embraced him.
She backed up a step, with her eyes to the ground. She picked up the Katana and sheathed it. When she lifted her face again, a change had come over it: there was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before. Facing Thantor, she said, "My training is incomplete, Master. I am ready to resume, if you will have me."
[ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: loner72 ]
She backed up a step, with her eyes to the ground. She picked up the Katana and sheathed it. When she lifted her face again, a change had come over it: there was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before. Facing Thantor, she said, "My training is incomplete, Master. I am ready to resume, if you will have me."
[ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: loner72 ]
Better fit loner with a chastity spell, Kramor "It would be my privilege, Lady Loner," Thantor said, with a touch of ceremonial formality. "And I look forward to the things you will teach me as well. Outside of the training circle, I am Thantor or Than as you choose", he said, smiling. "You have earned that much." He looked up at the sun and said, "We should gather together and resume our search for Anomen. Please ask Kramor not to be too hard on the tree, or he risks damaging all my wonderful work." He turned as if to go, then turned back and glanced at the direction of Kramor's rapidly disappearing form. Turning to Loner, he said, "By the way ... I am happy for you."
On his way to gather his things, he passed Georgi's tent. "I'll kill you ... don't you think I won't ... I'll kill you," he said, wagging his head and mimicking her under his breath. He quickly organized his pack and went to meet the others.
On his way to gather his things, he passed Georgi's tent. "I'll kill you ... don't you think I won't ... I'll kill you," he said, wagging his head and mimicking her under his breath. He quickly organized his pack and went to meet the others.
Those who will play with kitties must expect to be scratched.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
Many are cold; few are frozen.
Absence is to love what wind is to fire... it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.
As Darkpoet headed along to meet the others. He was stopped by and old priest, he asked Darkpoet if he would help him. Darkpoet was unsure at first, but something changed his mind. He agreed to help the priest, as the priest lead him to the inn. Things changed on Darkpoet, as he went into the inn. He was lead to a table, where two men were talking. The man sitting motioned Darkpoet to sit, as he did, he was looking at Waverly. Shocked at first, the Darkpoet chuckled.
"I always said you were too ornery to kill."
The man sitting at the table, smiled.
"Good, you two know each other, that will make it easier, for the two of you to work together."
"I always said you were too ornery to kill."
The man sitting at the table, smiled.
"Good, you two know each other, that will make it easier, for the two of you to work together."
Vivien stared at the sunlight ahead, swinging happily in her hammock as the pool boy brought her yet another Magherita. This was heaven, the sun baking into her skin, the breeze, and the smell of water. She flashed the pool boy a smile as he approached, but instead of a nice cool drink she felt only harsh shaking.
“Hey! There’s no ne-“
She sat up in the slightly darkened tent, seeing Georgi leaning her.
“Oh.” Viv said beginning to blush.
“We may be leaving soon, depending on them. It might be good to pack up.” Georgi smiled slightly before leaving.
Viv packed as best she could, though tents were never her strong suit. She couldn’t help wondering; ‘Them’ who? Was the camp divided?
The mood in the camp seemed slightly better, but not entirely. There was still worry, but now it seemed somehow focused differently. She sighed slightly, not liking any misunderstandings.
Deciding that everyone was probably just hungry, she searched in her food pack for the bag of honey rolls. Everyone seemed in such a hurry that they didn’t even seem to see her, so in most cases she had to grab onto a hand or shoulder to offer a roll. Loner was glowing, maybe with some sort of exercise, and took the roll quickly. Thantor, on the other hand, seemed his usual mysterious self, which was probably why she winked at him while handing him a roll. Mysterious people usually were dead serious, and needed a little loosening up.
She turned from Thantor, and almost tripped over Gwalchmai who was apparently covering some of the tracks they had left behind. She felt a little breathless when he looked up at her, so she quickly thrust a roll at him before hurrying to find Georgi and Kramor.
“Hey! There’s no ne-“
She sat up in the slightly darkened tent, seeing Georgi leaning her.
“Oh.” Viv said beginning to blush.
“We may be leaving soon, depending on them. It might be good to pack up.” Georgi smiled slightly before leaving.
Viv packed as best she could, though tents were never her strong suit. She couldn’t help wondering; ‘Them’ who? Was the camp divided?
The mood in the camp seemed slightly better, but not entirely. There was still worry, but now it seemed somehow focused differently. She sighed slightly, not liking any misunderstandings.
Deciding that everyone was probably just hungry, she searched in her food pack for the bag of honey rolls. Everyone seemed in such a hurry that they didn’t even seem to see her, so in most cases she had to grab onto a hand or shoulder to offer a roll. Loner was glowing, maybe with some sort of exercise, and took the roll quickly. Thantor, on the other hand, seemed his usual mysterious self, which was probably why she winked at him while handing him a roll. Mysterious people usually were dead serious, and needed a little loosening up.
She turned from Thantor, and almost tripped over Gwalchmai who was apparently covering some of the tracks they had left behind. She felt a little breathless when he looked up at her, so she quickly thrust a roll at him before hurrying to find Georgi and Kramor.
“That drow was twice the ‘man’ you and those mammering, spur-galled slaves ever were. And your insolent intrusion helped get her killed.” Waverly leapt up, overturning the table in the process. A brilliant mythril short sword was drawn and at the ready in his right hand.
“Stop!” Shouted the cleric stepping between them. Darkpoet just grinned at Waverly, while Waverly simmered to a slow boil. “Darkpoet is no longer a minion of the Flames, and he is not the one responsible for your misfortune. He is here to help…for if he does not, I will kill him myself.”
“Stop!” Shouted the cleric stepping between them. Darkpoet just grinned at Waverly, while Waverly simmered to a slow boil. “Darkpoet is no longer a minion of the Flames, and he is not the one responsible for your misfortune. He is here to help…for if he does not, I will kill him myself.”
Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time